Oil showdown in the Amazon

To Rafael Correa Delgado, President of Ecuador:

As concerned citizens, we call on you to take urgent steps to immediately stop officials pushing for oil exploitation in Sani Isla. We urge you to protect the Amazon from the devastation of oil exploitation. It is a serious threat to this pristine habitat and the survival of Ecuador's indigenous people, who are struggling to resist the oil companies and hold onto their lands. We call on you to uphold Ecuador’s inspiring Constitution.

Posted: 24 January 2013 There's an indigenous community in Ecuador that lives in a part of the Amazon where there are jaguars and more animal life than the whole of North America! It's an incredibly pristine, remote area and the whole ecosystem has been preserved. But the government is threatening to go in and look for oil.

The local tribe is resisting, but usually oil companies go in, buy off the people and break up the community. The tribe is thrilled that people across the world might back them up and make such a stink that we could save their land. The president of Ecuador claims to stand for indigenous rights and the environment, but he's just quietly come up with a new plan to bring oil speculators in to look at 4 million hectares of jungle. If we can say 'wait a minute, you're supposed to be the green president who says no one can buy Ecuador', we could expose him for turning his back on his commitments just as he is fighting for re-election.

He does not want a PR nightmare right now. If we can help this one community defend their ancestral land and challenge the president to keep to his word, we could make him reconsider the whole plan. Sign the petition now and tell everyone -- let's help save this beautiful forest: